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Garden illumination – whether on patios, in borders, among trees or around ornamental ponds as well as submerged – has gained in popularity, and in return for the initial cost and subsequent maintenance makes a garden and patio more attractive and usable over a longer period each day. Additionally, autumn-colored deciduous trees and frost-covered stems during winter can be highlighted. For barbecue enthusiasts, patio lighting is essential.

Are garden lights worth installing?

ON PATIOS

The edges of patios and terraces can be transformed by low spotlights as well as column types. Also, where a table is present a light that illuminates it is useful for late-evening relaxation. Avoid having cables suspended randomly over a patio.

IN BORDERS

Throughout summer and into autumn, borders of all types – packed solely with herbaceous perennials or a medley of types – benefit from illumination. Flowers and colored leaves can be given added qualities by lights positioned looking down on plants. Additionally, a few lights within a border create attractive shadows.

AROUND PONDS

Whether a garden pond is integrated with a patio or featured in a lawn setting, it will be enhanced by a few strategically placed lights. If a waterfall or cascade feeds water into it, these too can be illuminated. Fountains, with their wide and varying range of spray patterns, are also enhanced.

IN PONDS

Submerged lighting – sometimes colored in red, green, amber or blue – adds a fresh and often novel quality to ornamental ponds. Some lighting equipment creates a rainbow of changing light. Ensure that the equipment is safely installed.

FLOODLIGHTING TREES AND SHRUBS

Wall- and post-mounted lights create light over a large area, while low- powered colored lights in a continuous line of up to 40 lamps are possible for stringing between trees. For many gardens, however, a few white spotlights focused upwards and into branches have more appeal.

Ornamental lights are ideal for patios and terraces.

Safety first

Electricity and water are not happy partners and all electrical installations need to be checked over or installed by a competent electrician. Where voltage is reduced through a transformer the risk to yourself and family is less than when the power comes directly from the household power supply.

DO NOT TAKE ANY RISKS – THINK SAFETY FIRST WITH ELECTRICITY AT ALL TIMES.

TYPES OF LIGHTING

The quality and intensity of light is influenced by the source of power – household power, battery or solar.

• Household power: this creates the strongest and most penetrating light and is suitable for large installations and powerful spotlights. It also requires the most careful and thorough installation.

• Battery power: the size and quality of the battery determines the power of the light, which slowly diminishes as the battery becomes exhausted. Nevertheless, it is a safe way to have light on a patio or terrace.

• Solar power: the penetrative quality of the light is poor, but is useful for highlighting the edges of features, from patios to paths and around ponds. It has the bonus of being powered by the sun and inexpensive to operate.

Spotlights are ideal for highlighting specific plants, as well as on patios during summer evenings

Low-intensity lights on short, supporting stems are good for positioning around either a patio or a garden pond

Lantern-type battery lights, with their ornamental appearance, are useful for hanging from trees around a patio